Attitudes of local people towards community-based forest management: A study of a Sal forest area in Bangladesh

Abstract

This paper examined attitudes of local people towards community-based forest management (CBFM) and
explored factors influencing their attitudes. A survey instrument was administered to 80 household heads (both
from ethnic and non-ethnic), sampled across the communities adjacent to the forest area using stratified
random sampling method. Attitudes of local people towards CBFM approach were measured by developing 15
relevant statements. The study findings revealed that two-third (66.7%) of the ethnic respondents and near
about three-fourth (77.3%) of non-ethnic respondents had favouable to highly favourable attitudes towards
CBFM. Almost similar percentage of respondents from ethnic (13.7%) and non-ethnic (13.6%) categories were
found with unfavourable attitudes. The regression results showed that credit received, participation in training
supported by the CBFM project and knowledge on forest conservation had significant positive influence on
attitudes of both categories of respondents. Though the independent variables namely, duration of involvement
with CBFM project and membership in local formal committee (s) had significance influence upon non-ethnic
respondents’ attitudes, these variables did not have significant influence upon attitudes of ethic respondents.
For sustainable forest management and conservation goals to be achieved, it is vital that local people’s needs
and aspirations and their attitudes regarding CBFM should be considered.